In 2005, Japan was rocked by the busting of an ATM theft ring. The scam started at an upmarket golf club, where tiny cameras installed in the locker rooms recorded members typing in their four digit locker codes. The thieves then later opened the lockers and used "skimming" devices to copy data off the...
Read more
Tell the truth and shame the ATM.
NDTV reports that Sberbank, Russia's biggest retail bank, has rolled out a lie detecting, fraud preventative ATM. Customers are able to apply for a credit card without engaging in any human interaction. The machine: " ... scans a passport, records fingerprints and takes a three-dimensional scan for facial recognition. And it uses voice-analysis software...
Read more
Fraud and Cyber Crime still winning.
Two articles in the BBC news directly relate to the ongoing need for greater security, awareness, and preparedness in today's world. The National Fraud Authority states that identity fraud in the last year cost £ 1.2 billion, and that fraudsters obtain more than £1000 from every identity they steal. These are shocking statistics. Dishonest...
Read more
Fingerprint Failings
In a somewhat extreme case of criminality, Japanese authorities have arrested a Chinese national who had her fingerprints altered. Lin Xiuai paid an equivalent of USD$ 4, 390 to have her fingerprints surgically altered. The procedure successfully allowed her to pass airport biometric identification checks. What makes this story unusual, is that it highlights...
Read more